ACCIONA to build hydroelectric works in Portugal worth 160 million euros

Iberdrola has chosen the consortium formed by ACCIONA and Portuguese companies Mota Engil and Edivisa (Visabeira Group) to build the Alto Tâmega dam and hydroelectric plant on the river Tâmega, near Oporto, Portugal. The contract, amounting to around 110 million euros, is in addition to the pre-existing 50 million euros contract for the construction of the penstock at the Gouvães hydroelectric plant.

Both projects are part of the Tâmega River project, one of the largest hydroelectric developments in Europe in recent years, which includes the construction of three hydroelectric plants: Gouvães, Alto Tâmega and Daivões.

The plants will have a combined power generation capacity of 1,158 MW, enabling Iberdrola to produce more than 1,760 GWh of electricity per year.

ACCIONA will participate in the construction of the Alto Tâmega dam, a 106.5-metre high double-curvature concrete arch, plus the toe-of-dam hydroelectric plant, comprising two 80 MW units. In addition, it will build the plant's water circuit, river diversion works, and the plant access tunnel, among others.

The Gouvães penstock, a 4.7-kilometre concrete-lined tunnel 7.3 metres in diameter, will be dug from four points simultaneously. Other work includes the water inlet structure in the Gouvães reservoir on the Torno River, the sluice structure and other ancillary components.

Extensive expertise

ACCIONA has a broad expertise in developing water works around the world, including hydroelectric plants and more than 50 dams in twelve countries. Notable references include the Guavio (Colombia) dam, one of the highest dams in the world (247 metres), and the Site C hydroelectric complex on the Peace River in Canada, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country, where ACCIONA is building the earthen dam. Other major projects include construction of Western Europe's largest reservoir, in Alqueva (Portugal), and Spain's highest dam, in Salamanca.

Emblematic projects

Portugal was one of ACCIONA's first international markets and the company has developed more than 70 projects there, including infrastructures of all kinds as well as company-owned wind and photovoltaic farms.

ACCIONA participated in the construction of emblematic works in that country, such as the Lisbon Oriente train station, the Infante bridge, the Olhão marina and the Alqueva dam. In the water area, it has built close to thirty wastewater and drinking water treatment plants with a capacity of over 620,000 m3/day. They include the Portimão wastewater treatment plant and the Alcantarilha drinking water treatment plant, both in the Algarve region.

ACCIONA Energy's presence in Portugal dates back to 2008, and it has 16 wind farms (120MW) as well as the Amaraleja photovoltaic plant (46MWp).